Strawberry puree is easy to make and naturally sweet with no added sugar! Use it in baked goods, drinks or as baby food.

From fresh, steamed or simmered, strawberry puree is a fun, bright and enticing first solid food for baby! If you ask me, strawberries are basically nature’s candy with their natural sweetness. But it’s a candy you don’t have to feel bad about feeding baby because it’s loaded with health benefits (and, you know, it’s not actually candy!)

This strawberry puree recipe is more than just for babies though! It is a perfect addition to many baked goods, cocktails, smoothies and more.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Strawberries are naturally sweet and baby will love the way they taste!
• With their bright red color, they are enticing for baby to eat.
• They are an excellent source of vitamins, antioxidants and fiber.
• With three easy methods, you can use fresh or frozen strawberries!

Health Benefits of Strawberries

Strawberries packs quite a health punch! They are low calorie, taste delicious and are a great source of an abundance of vitamins, minerals and plant compounds. (source)

• vitamins – strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C and also contain a decent amount of vitamin B9 (aka folate). Both are important for your baby! You’ll also find vitamins B6, K and E.
• manganese – strawberries are also a great source of manganese, which is an essential mineral needed for normal amino acid, protein, lipid, and carbohydrate metabolism.
• potassium – a mineral, potassium is especially important in regulating blood pressure.
• minerals – you’ll also find trace amunts of iron, copper, magnesium and phosphorus in strawberries.
• fiber – fiber makes up about 26% of the carbohydrate content of a strawberry. Fiber is important to your gut and digestive health!
• antioxidants – strawberries are chock full of these beneficial plant compounds! Not only do they provide the bright red color for strawberries, they are known for an abundance of health benefits for your organs.

Are Strawberries Okay For Babies?

Some health organizations recommend waiting to introduce strawberries until your baby is at least one year old. This is because strawberry allergies are more common in children. It’s best to consult with your doctor!

Should I Use Organic Strawberries?

Strawberries are the number one listing under the dirty dozen fruits and vegetables. If possible, go with organic for strawberries, though I realize this isn’t always in the budget. Either way thoroughly rinsing your fruits and vegetables is an important step whether they’re organic or not!

How to Make Strawberry Puree

I’m sharing three easy ways to make this fruit puree. For all three, you’ll start with fresh strawberries that you wash, dry and hull (removing the green stem) with a knife.

Fresh Strawberries

For fresh strawberry puree, after preparing the strawberries add them to your blender or food processor and blend until smooth. That’s it! If the seeds are bothersome to your little one, you can put the puree through a fine mesh strainer but I don’t find it necessary.

Steamed Strawberries

This is a great option if your strawberries are under-ripe, frozen or if you want a cooked option! After preparing the strawberries, chop them into 2-4 chunks each. Steam the strawberries over boiling water in a steamer basket for 3-4 minutes.

Let the strawberries cool before transferring to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Simmered Strawberries

After preparing the strawberries, chop each berry into 4-8 chunks and place them in a saucepan over low to medium heat. Cook the berries for about 5-10 minutes, mashing strawberries as they start to soften. Once the strawberries have been reduced down, remove them from the stovetop to cool.

You can serve this as a thicker puree to babies in stage 2 or higher, or transfer the berries to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

How to Remove Seeds

I personally don’t find this step necessary, but you may choose to put your strawberry puree through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds. This fine mesh strainer should do the job!

How to Serve Strawberry Puree to Baby

For stage 1 eaters, strawberry puree is best served straight up with a spoon. When your baby moves into stage 2 and 3 foods you can make fun combination purees (see ideas below) or add strawberry puree to different foods like yogurt, smoothies and oatmeal. Strawberry puree would be delicious mixed into my baby oatmeal recipe.

Food Combinations That Pair Well With Strawberry

Strawberry puree pairs well with so many things! Here are some pairing ideas to help make vegetables and grains more palatable to baby:

• Green veggies – kale, spinach, avocado, zucchini, peas
• Orange veggies – sweet potato, butternut squash, carrot
• White veggies – cauliflower
• Other fruit – banana, peaches, apples, kiwis, pears, mangos
• Dairy – yogurt, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese
• Grains – quinoa, oats
• Legumes – chickpeas, lentils
• Seasonings and spices – curry, ginger, mint, nutmeg, cinnamon

Strawberry Baby Food Combo Ideas

Here are some strawberry baby food combos that might be fun to try:

• Strawberry, banana and apple
• Yogurt and strawberry
• Spinach, strawberry and oatmeal
• Cottage cheese and strawberry
• Kale, strawberry and lentils
• Strawberry, mango and peach

Check out my stage 2 baby food combinations post for more ideas!

Strawberry Puree FAQ

How to Store Strawberry Puree

Fresh strawberry baby food should be stored in the fridge and used within 3-4 days. For longer storage, I recommend freezing the puree in an airtight container. I like using silicone ice cube tray or freezer safe jars because they make it easier to thaw smaller amounts for serving to babies.

How to Thaw Frozen Puree

Like other purees, I recommend thawing frozen strawberry puree in the fridge the night before you want to use it. In a pinch, you can also thaw it quickly with a warm water bath. It thaws quickly if you’re defrosting a small amount to serve to a baby.

Other Uses For Strawberry Puree

• For cakes and other baked goods – strawberry puree is perfect for swirling into cheesecakes and other desserts! Try a drizzle over top these strawberry protein muffins!
• Serve over ice cream – a strawberry puree and banana ice cream combo would be a perfect treat! Or boost the strawberry flavor by serving over my strawberry coconut milk sorbet. You can also mix strawberry puree into homemade or store bought ice cream or frozen yogurt for an extra touch of sweetness that packs in some nutrients!
• Make a smoothie – skip the ice and use frozen strawberry puree cubes to blend into a tasty and healthy smoothie. Try it in my chocolate covered strawberry smoothie recipe.
• Stir into drinks – whether you’re making a mojito, bellini or vodka soda, strawberry puree is an excellent addition to cocktails, bringing things up a notch! This strawberry frose would be perfect too! For a non-alocholic option, mix strawberry puree into a refreshing lemonade.
• Swirl into oatmeal or yogurt – drizzle on top of or mix into your favorite yogurt. Swirl through this strawberry banana baked oatmeal.
• Topping for pancakes and waffles – use it like a strawberry sauce and level up your waffles or pancakes by drizzling over top with some maple syrup! It would be so good with these Greek yogurt pancakes!

More Baby Food Puree Recipes to Try

• Sweet Potato Puree
• Butternut Squash Puree
• Peach Puree
• Carrot Puree
• Blueberry Puree
• Pumpkin Puree
• Applesauce
• Banana Puree
• Mango Puree
• Pea Puree

Recipes and Resources for Baby

• Introducing Solids to Baby + My Approach
• Healthy Smash Cake
• Banana Pancakes For Babies
• Baby Yogurt Melts
• Oatmeal For Babies

Be sure to check out my full collection of strawberry recipes as well as all of the baby food recipes here on EBF.